Jeopardy! Gets Two New Hosts for Next Season

[snowc]

I would add one point of caution from the Mike Richards story. Have you or I ever posted anything here that could be construed in a way that would make our lives living hell years later? We actually tried to judge a Supreme Court Nominee on what may or may not have happened at a fraternity party thirty years ago. While there was video evidence of part of Richards' misdeeds and a settlement of a lawsuit which may or may not have had merit. Would you want your past lives under a microscope like this.

Context means a lot. I remember in the early days of email. I sent a friend an email their purity filter rejected it because the word HELL was in it. The sentence noted a sHELL station.  In a discussion a week or so later, he noted you also couldn't reply to Richard as Dick.

Something as simple as talking about a young woman being pretty can be attacked for being misogynistic, sexist, discriminatory.  Maybe what Mike Richards did was egregious enough to warrant his firing, but what was the cultural expectation just a few years previous to the actions? 

Just saying.....

My brother was named Dick. Died unfortunately on August 15 2019. We went up to his house and now its been renovated. 😭😭

[snowc]

Something as simple as talking about a young woman being pretty can be attacked for being misogynistic, sexist, discriminatory.  Maybe what Mike Richards did was egregious enough to warrant his firing, but what was the cultural expectation just a few years previous to the actions? 

With all things that could possibly offend people, the answer is always "know your audience". You're not going to get fired from your job for asking out a co-worker who is clearly interested in you.

You might, if it violates company policy to date co-workers at all. (The company I currently work for forbids supervisors dating those they overlook.)

Thats the reason Pat Sijack and his wife don't host the show 100%. Pat of course hosts it, but his wife always leaves for the word board.
EDIT: Vanna white is NOT Pat Sijack's Wife.

[1995hoo]

What are you talking about? Pat Sajak's wife doesn't appear on Wheel of Fortune, other than the one episode when Alex Trebek hosted as an April Fools' Day prank in 1997 (Sajak's wife turned the letters because the "contestants" that day were Pat Sajak and Vanna White).

[snowc]

What are you talking about? Pat Sajak's wife doesn't appear on Wheel of Fortune, other than the one episode when Alex Trebek hosted as an April Fools' Day prank in 1997 (Sajak's wife turned the letters because the "contestants" that day were Pat Sajak and Vanna White).

ohh, i stand corrected. I thought vanna white was his wife. 😳😳 

[empirestate]

Right, and those negative perceptions could have been mitigated somewhat by acknowledging some fault.

I disagree. Being convicted by the jury of the internet is permanent. It lasts for decades. I reiterate, being guilty on the internet is only bested by confessing on the internet.

Do you mean agree? Your last sentence here seems to say the same as mine above.

Absolutely not: The only thing MORE egregious is to admit it. It doesn't mitigate anything.   Being contrite just works as an admission. It ADDS a second strike.

Hmm, no, that's not what I've observed. Many people commented on the lack of contrition in Richards' statement. Had he included it, those comments, that strike against him, would have been mitigated.

Now in his case, would it have changed the outcome? Doubtful, since the backlash against him was already in place from other factors before the podcast comments were reported. But the perceptions could have been mitigated–for example, by remaining at the existing negative level, rather than becoming more so.

[Henry]

Something as simple as talking about a young woman being pretty can be attacked for being misogynistic, sexist, discriminatory.  Maybe what Mike Richards did was egregious enough to warrant his firing, but what was the cultural expectation just a few years previous to the actions? 

With all things that could possibly offend people, the answer is always "know your audience". You're not going to get fired from your job for asking out a co-worker who is clearly interested in you.

You might, if it violates company policy to date co-workers at all. (The company I currently work for forbids supervisors dating those they overlook.)

Thats the reason Pat Sijack and his wife don't host the show 100%. Pat of course hosts it, but his wife always leaves for the word board.
EDIT: Vanna white is NOT Pat Sijack's Wife.

If the rule forbidding workplace relationships had been in place in the 1980s, Bob Barker would not have dated one of the TPIR models, and Richard Dawson would not have dated (or married) a contestant on Family Feud. Ergo, there'd be less controversy and more focus on those men being the great hosts that they were.

[Scott5114]

Bob Barker had a massive ego that expressed itself in ways other than thinking with his dick, though. Rod Roddy made him mad for some reason (I think it had to do with Rod wanting a raise) so he banned Roddy and his flashy suits from regularly appearing on camera for the rest of his life. When Roddy died, the announcer-on-camera ban extended to his successor Rich Fields (who was never really allowed to show much of a personality at all). After Bob and Dian ended their affair, I believe he also refused to agree to the use of his likeness to rerun any episode that contained Dian for a good long while, which I believe was to screw her out of royalties/residuals.

Great host, awful boss.

[GCrites]

Bob Barker had a massive ego that expressed itself in ways other than thinking with his dick, though. Rod Roddy made him mad for some reason (I think it had to do with Rod wanting a raise) so he banned Roddy and his flashy suits from regularly appearing on camera for the rest of his life. When Roddy died, the announcer-on-camera ban extended to his successor Rich Fields (who was never really allowed to show much of a personality at all). After Bob and Dian ended their affair, I believe he also refused to agree to the use of his likeness to rerun any episode that contained Dian for a good long while, which I believe was to screw her out of royalties/residuals.

Great host, awful boss.

[Stephane Dumas]

And they got a 2nd round.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jnurf8ZtV-E

[snowc]

What are you talking about? Pat Sajak's wife doesn't appear on Wheel of Fortune, other than the one episode when Alex Trebek hosted as an April Fools' Day prank in 1997 (Sajak's wife turned the letters because the "contestants" that day were Pat Sajak and Vanna White).

https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/wheel-of-fortune-fans-sound-off-about-the-show-s-changes/ar-AAOqo5t?ocid=winp1taskbar

Wheel of Fortune returned for its 39th season on Monday evening with a new snazzy look and some updates to the gameplay, and it certainly got fans talking.

These changes included a bright and colorful new studio set, increased screen time for the show's announcer Jim Thornton, and, perhaps most controversial of all, updated music.

"Can you believe this is Season 39? It's incredible,"  said host Pat Sajak to open the show. "You'll notice some changes in the studio. I thought I caught a glimpse of that Thornton guy on the way out. A few little tweaks in the game, but it's still Wheel of Fortune. We're gonna have a great time. Let's get to it."

One of the big gameplay changes involves the final spin of the wheel, which has always been done by Sajak himself. However, the power has now been handed over to the contestants. "The final spin goes to whoever has control of the wheel,"  Sajak explained in the episode.

These updates come after the show's executive producer Mike Richards exited his role last month following public backlash. The changes also mark Sajak's new position as consulting producer on the show – a stipulation that was added as part of the long-running host's contract renewal that will keep him and hostess Vanna White on the show through 2024.

"If you think about it, by doing the "˜final spin' I, as host, had an impact on the outcome of the game, and that has always bothered me because it just didn't feel right,"  Sajak told Deadline. "With this change, only the contestants determine the outcome of the game and the host does not impose themself in any way."

[NWI_Irish96]

"If you think about it, by doing the "˜final spin' I, as host, had an impact on the outcome of the game, and that has always bothered me because it just didn't feel right,"  Sajak told Deadline. "With this change, only the contestants determine the outcome of the game and the host does not impose themself in any way."

I realized long ago that a contestant with a sizable lead benefits from a low number of the final spin and the trailing contestants benefit from a higher number. It never occurred to me that the host might try to manipulate the final spin to favor one or the other.


[/quote]

[hotdogPi]

"If you think about it, by doing the "˜final spin' I, as host, had an impact on the outcome of the game, and that has always bothered me because it just didn't feel right,"  Sajak told Deadline. "With this change, only the contestants determine the outcome of the game and the host does not impose themself in any way."

I realized long ago that a contestant with a sizable lead benefits from a low number of the final spin and the trailing contestants benefit from a higher number. It never occurred to me that the host might try to manipulate the final spin to favor one or the other.

I believe the host aims for the $5,000 space regardless of the players' scores.

[Scott5114]

I believe the host aims for the $5,000 space regardless of the players' scores.

And Sajak was good enough at it that he hit $5,000 more often than average. Which makes sense, considering he's probably spun that particular wheel more often than any other person alive (other than maybe a few PAs). The producers, at least during the Friedman era, didn't mind, as the increased stakes made the game more exciting, even though it cost them more money.

But Sajak is probably right when he says it's fairer for the host to have no influence over the game.

[Henry]

The new season began with the rededication of the J! stage as the Alex Trebek Studio. Fitting tribute to the man most associated with the show, even though he wasn't the first host.

It's kind of coincidental that this and the Bob Barker Studio (where TPIR tapes) are named in honor of the men who hosted their respective shows for a very long time and thus are icons for those shows, and yet neither one was the first to do it (Art Fleming and Bill Cullen hold that distinction).

[NWI_Irish96]

The new season began with the rededication of the J! stage as the Alex Trebek Studio. Fitting tribute to the man most associated with the show, even though he wasn't the first host.

It's kind of coincidental that this and the Bob Barker Studio (where TPIR tapes) are named in honor of the men who hosted their respective shows for a very long time and thus are icons for those shows, and yet neither one was the first to do it (Art Fleming and Bill Cullen hold that distinction).

Johnny Carson wasn't the first to host the Tonight Show either, but he's the first one that comes to mind.

[empirestate]

The new season began with the rededication of the J! stage as the Alex Trebek Studio. Fitting tribute to the man most associated with the show, even though he wasn't the first host.

It's kind of coincidental that this and the Bob Barker Studio (where TPIR tapes) are named in honor of the men who hosted their respective shows for a very long time and thus are icons for those shows, and yet neither one was the first to do it (Art Fleming and Bill Cullen hold that distinction).

Johnny Carson wasn't the first to host the Tonight Show either, but he's the first one that comes to mind.

Roscoe Orman was not the first to play Gordon on Sesame Street.

[bulldog1979]

"˜Jeopardy!' hosts: Mayim Bialik, Ken Jennings will finish 2021. So it looks like we have an answer for now.

[Scott5114]

Good for Ken!

[LM117]

The irony is that Ken really didn't want the job in the first place.

[Scott5114]

The irony is that Ken really didn't want the job in the first place.

I don't know that he didn't really want it. There's the complicating factor that he's under contract to be on The Chase as well, which left him unable to commit to Jeopardy! full-time.

A member on golden-road.net (the TPIR fan forum) said they saw him speak in North Carolina on August 28. He said during a Q&A that when it came to returning as a guest host, "I'm just waiting by the phone. If they call, I'm in,"  while sidestepping a question about the permanent hosting spot. Doesn't really sound like someone who doesn't want the job to me. (Of course, if I'm wrong, maybe he'll log in to say so himself. )

[LM117]

The irony is that Ken really didn't want the job in the first place.

I don't know that he didn't really want it. There's the complicating factor that he's under contract to be on The Chase as well, which left him unable to commit to Jeopardy! full-time.

A member on golden-road.net (the TPIR fan forum) said they saw him speak in North Carolina on August 28. He said during a Q&A that when it came to returning as a guest host, "I'm just waiting by the phone. If they call, I'm in,"  while sidestepping a question about the permanent hosting spot. Doesn't really sound like someone who doesn't want the job to me. (Of course, if I'm wrong, maybe he'll log in to say so himself. )

I guess he changed his mind, since he initially said that he didn't want to do it.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2021/09/16/mayim-bialik-ken-jennings-host-jeopardy-rest-2021/8363223002/

Jennings previously told USA TODAY that he didn't want to take over as host, because "it means we don't get Alex."

He added: "It's just sad for me to go out there, in a way, because I know that, like the audience, I wish it was Alex walking out at the top of the show."

That said, I have no complaints about him hosting.

[GCrites]

He received good reviews as host. I preferred either Ken or LeVar.

[OCGuy81]

He received good reviews as host. I preferred either Ken or LeVar.

Same here! They both did a great job.  I think Anderson Cooper did a great job as well, but let's be honest, he's not quitting his day job anytime soon.

[NWI_Irish96]

He received good reviews as host. I preferred either Ken or LeVar.

I thought LeVar got way too excited at contestant's right answers. Something he could fix no doubt, but it made his episodes hard to watch for me. Same for Joe Buck, but then he's not a likeable guy to begin with.

[OCGuy81]

He received good reviews as host. I preferred either Ken or LeVar.

I thought LeVar got way too excited at contestant's right answers. Something he could fix no doubt, but it made his episodes hard to watch for me. Same for Joe Buck, but then he's not a likeable guy to begin with.

Yeah, that's a valid point on LeVar, but I think in time he'd be able to tone that down, and would be a great host.

Mayim would've been my choice for day to day, but it'll be cool to see her on the primetime specials.